Monday, October 25, 2010

In the Septuagint, the word "exodus" is used a number of times to describe the "going forth" or "arising" of the sun, moon, and stars (Jdg. 5:31, Ps. 19:7, 65:8, Neh. 4:21).

This could suggest a couple of things in a couple of directions: First, when the people of Israel come out of Egypt they are like the sun, moon, and stars arising, they are being born as a nation, a kingdom of priests, rulers of heaven. Israel coming out of Egypt pictured as stars is of course what God originally promised to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob as well. The exodus is the beginning of the fulfillment of that promise. It's not an accident either that the sun, moon, and stars are placed in the firmament on the fourth day of creation (Gen. 1:14) which was placed "in the midst of the waters" dividing the waters above and below (Gen. 1:6-7). And Israel is born and arises out of Egypt in the midst of the waters, passing through the waters of the Red Sea.

Pushing this in the other direction, when the psalmist or others refer to the sun coming forth or the stars coming out in the sky, they are echoing the original Exodus and describing the heavens as constantly reenacting that glorious event.

But if that is true for the Exodus of Israel from Egypt, how much more so is this true for the Exodus of Jesus from the grave? Every sunrise, every night sky blanketed with constellations is an exodus, glory revealed, glory unmasked, man enthroned in heaven.